Corporate Social Investment

The imperative to address our country’s challenges of poverty, inequality and unemployment has become increasingly important and urgent. As a Development Finance Institution, we are driven by our purpose: Building Africa’s Prosperity and by the primary reason for our existence which is to make a positive impact on society.  Accelerating this impact is the guiding principle that forms the foundation of our CSI programmes and initiatives.

CSI holistic approach

The DBSA’s CSI programmes are aligned with the Bank’s focus on accelerating sustainable socio-economic development.  Our CSI strategic focus areas are education and health and all our activities are aligned with the National Development Plan (NDP) and the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Our approach to CSI entails the implementation of flagship three-year programmes that incorporate projects that are selected based on the socio-economic needs identified in the communities in which we operate. The flagship programmes are implemented in partnership with registered and established non-profit organisations, non-government organisations and public benefit organisations. The engagement and participation of stakeholders including communities and beneficiaries is a critical component to all our CSI projects and initiatives.

In exceptional cases these three-year commitments may be reviewed and extended for a further three years, granted on a year-by-year basis dependent on development impact and residual needs.  New projects are added on a roll-over basis to allow continuity and sustainability.

CSI operational principles

We are further guided by these operational principles:

• Focus on education and health projects that benefit previously disadvantaged communities and beneficiaries in the townships and rural areas of South Africa.
• Clear alignment with the National Development Plan and Sustainable Development Goals. 
• Annual review of the three-year-contracted flagship projects. With the exception of special cases where development impact and residual needs are taken into consideration.
• The addition of new projects on a roll-over basis to allow for continuity and sustainability and to accommodate the capacity of the CSI function.
• We are proactive in our selection of projects and strive to align our flagship programmes with our mandate and purpose. Unsolicited applications are accommodated as pilot projects pending a decision for inclusion as a flagship programme.

These principles ensure that we pursue an integrated approach to infrastructure development and shape the development landscape in a way that can alleviate poverty as well as encourage sustainable socio-economic growth in South Africa and the continent at large.